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Moses Mendes
Moses Mendes or Mendez (died 4 February 1758) was an English poet and playwright. Life Nendes was the only son of James Mendes (died 1739), stockbroker, of Mitcham, Surrey, and grandson of Fernando Mendes, M.D.. He is said to have received part of his education under Dr. William King at St. Mary Hall, Oxford.Goodwin, 248. Though he once intended to become an advocate in Doctors' Commons, he ultimately saw fit to follow his father's business of stockbroking, by which he made a large fortune. He was reputedly the richest poet of his time.Moses Mendez (1690 ca.-1758), English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Aug. 17, 2016. He acquired a fine estate called St. Andrews at Old Buckenham, Norfolk. He passed for a bon-vivant and a wit, was ‘of an agreeable behaviour, entertaining in conversation, and had a very pretty turn for poetry." The poet James Thomson was a frequent visitor at his pleasant house at Mitcham. In 1744 he made a journey to Ireland, of which he gave a humorous account in a rhymed epistle addressed to a brother-poet, John Ellis. His first effort was "The Double Disappointment," a ballad-opera, produced with considerable success at Drury Lane Theatre, March 18, 1746, and revived at Covent Garden March 22, 1759. "The Chaplet," a musical "entertainment," the words by Mendes and the score by Boyce, scored a great success Dec. 2, 1749, because of both its merit and the clever acting of Mrs. Clive as Pastora. "Robin Hood," produced at Drury Lane Dec. 13, 1750, and "The Shepherd's Lottery," played Nov. 19, 1751, were not successful.Mendes (Mendez), Moses, Jewish Encyclopedia 1906. Web, Aug. 17, 2016. Mendes' only prose work was Henry and Blanch (1745), a tale taken from the French of Gil Blas. It was dramatized the same year by Thomson, and was produced at Drury Lane Theatre. By his marriage to Anne Gabrielle, daughter and coheiress of Sir Francis Head, bart., Menes had two sons, Francis and James Roper, who were authorised to take the surname of Head in lieu of Mendes by royal license dated 11 May 1770, and his grandson, Francis Bond Head, was created a baronet on 14 July 1838. Mendes died at Old Buckenham, and was buried there on 8 February 1758. Mrs. Mendes married secondly, on 21 March 1760, Captain the Hon. John Roper (1734–1780), and died on 11 December 1771. Writing Mendes wrote verse with facility, and some of his songs are not wanting in grace. Mendes produced ‘The Battiad,’ in two cantos, fol. 1751 (reprinted in Dilly's ‘Repository’), a satire on William Battie, M.D. v. (Nichols, Lit. Anecd. iv. 606). The same year he published ‘The Seasons, a Poem in imitation of Spenser,’ fol. 1751 (reprinted in Richardson and Urquhart's ‘Collection’ and in Pearch's ‘Collection’). In the opening lines he mourns the death of James Thomson. Another imitation of Spenser by Mendes, called ‘The Squire of Dames,’ appeared in vol. iv. of Dodsley's ‘Collection of Poems.’ He has also a few miscellaneous pieces in Richardson and Urquhart's ‘Collection,’ 1767 and 1770; while his translation of Maphæus's continuation of Virgil's ‘Æneid’ was included in Pearch's ‘Collection,’ 1775. His humorous epistle to John Ellis, inviting him to supper at the ‘Cock,’ near the Royal Exchange, was first printed from a copy in manuscript in ‘Notes and Queries’ (4th ser. vii. 5). His only prose work was entitled ‘Henry and Blanch, or the Revengeful Marriage, a Tale taken from the French of “Gil Blas,”’ 4to, 1745; the same story as that of Tancred and Sigismunda, on which Thomson the same year produced a tragedy at Drury Lane. Recognition On 19 June 1750 he was granted an M.A. from the University of Oxford. (Foster, Alumni Oxon. 1714–1886, iii. 942). Mendes's portrait has been engraved by W. Bromley; there is also a bad portrait of him by Hayman.Goodwin, 249. Publications Poetry *''The Battiad: Canto I'' (with Paul Whitehead & Dr. Schomberg). London: G. Smith, 1750. *''The Battiad: Canto II'' (with Paul Whitehead & Dr. Schomberg). London: G. Smith, 1750. *''The Seasons: In imitation of Spenser''. London: S. Baker, 1751. *"The Squire of Dames: A poem in Spenser's style" in Dodsley's Collection of Poems, Volume IV, 1751. Plays *''The Chaplet: A musical entertainment''. London: M. Cowper, 1749; London: J. & R. Tonson, 1761. *''Robin Hood: A new musical entertainment''. London: M. Cooper, 1751. *''The Shepherd's Lottery: A musical entertainment''. London: I. Walsh, 1751. *''The Double Diappointment; or, The fortune hunters: A farce''. London: 1755; London: F. Noble / J. Noble, 1760. Short fiction *''Henry and Blanch; or, The revengeful marriage: A tale from Gil Blas''. London: R. Dodsley, 1745. Edited *Miguel de Cervantes, Novellas Exemplares; or, Exemplary novels. London: C. Hitch, 1743. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Moses Mendez, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Aug. 17, 2016.. See also *List of British poets *List of English-language playwrights References *( . Wikisource, Web, Aug. 17, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *Moses Mendez (1690 ca.-1758) info & 7 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About *Mendes (Mendez), Moses in the Jewish Encyclopedia * Mendes, Moses Category:1758 deaths Category:18th-century poets Category:English dramatists and playwrights Category:English-language poets Category:English poets Category:Poets Category:Year of birth unknown